Bayelsa Poll: Ex-N/Delta Freedom Fighter Urges Tinubu To Save APC, Sylva From Defeat • Urges President to Caution Lokpobiri, Other APC Chieftains
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A former Niger Delta agitator and frontline campaigner for the election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Pastor Reuben Wilson is worried that the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State might lose out of the November 11 gubernatorial election if the president and leader of the party does not intervene.
Wilson, South -South Coordinator of The Asiwaju Group (TAG) and Founder, Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability used the two organisations to mobilise support for the election of Tinubu during the last election.
He is also seriously involved in the campaign for the election of Chief Timire Sylva as winner of the election, even though Sylva is currently not on the ballot. Wilson believes that Sylva has a good case and is capable of winning the election, only if he can get the support of the president and other chieftains of the party from the state.
In an open letter to the president, Wilson congratulated Tinubu on his victory at the Supreme Court and noted that the victory was “an eloquent confirmation of the indisputable fact that you won the presidential election freely and squarely. Nigerians voted for you because of your excellent track record and wealth of experience.
“Your Excellency Sir, I’m one of your faithful and ardent supporters in the South-South Geo-political Zone. I’m the South-South Coordinator of The Asiwaju Group (TAG) and Founder,Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA).I’m a faithful grassroots mobilizer and stalwart of the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State .I’m currently the Southern Ijaw LGA Coordinator of the APC Bayelsa State 2023 Gubernatorial Campaign Council.
“The Asiwaju Group and the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability actively participated in your electoral victory by massively mobilizing voters in the South-South Zone to give you the minimum constitutional requirement of 25% votes in each of the Six (6) South-South States, that hitherto, were the strongholds of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“Your Excellency, Sir,I used my personal funds to sponsor the campaign activities of The Asiwaju Group (TAG) and the Pastor Reuben Initiative for Good Leadership and Accountability (PRIFGLA) in the South-South Zone for your presidential election and our efforts greatly reflected in the votes you eventually got from the South-South States that helped you fulfill the constitutional requirements for you to be elected President.
“I promise that I will even do better in 2027, if you decide to contest for a second term in office. However, I’m deeply worried that the All Progressives Congress (APC) might lose the forthcoming Bayelsa State gubernatorial election scheduled for 11th of November,2023, if you don’t quickly intervene and prevail on the National secretariat of the party to do the needful by mobilizing all party stalwarts from Bayelsa State , especially appointees of your government, to be loyal to the party’s interest and work committedly for the success of the party in the election.
“At the moment such dedication and commitment isn’t seen from some of your appointees and some other party stalwarts from the state. Therefore, I wish to most humbly request that you prevail on such persons, especially, Sen.(Dr) Heineken Lokpobiri, Hon.Minister of State (Petroleum ) to be more committed to the activities of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.He is at the moment not showing enough commitment and support for the party in the state. He is also not relating properly with the party faithfuls in the state. His activities are mostly centered around his friends and associates that have dumped the party and decamped to the People’s Democratic Party in the state.
“The chances of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, His Excellency , Chief Timipre M.Sylva to win are very high based on the popularity of his campaign manifesto and his track record of better performance, compared to the incumbent Governor. I’m very sure about our victory but recent developments portend grave negative signals against our anticipated victory, if not quickly addressed , hence, this open letter to your Excellency, Sir.
“Furthermore, most of your loyal supporters in the South -South Zone, who faithfully and tirelessly worked for your electoral victory aren’t happy with some of your appointments because some of your appointees from the South -South Zone didn’t work for you in the last presidential election but got appointed and are enjoying your government at the expense of your very dedicated, loyal and committed supporters.
“I’m therefore, pleading with you to consider such dedicated supporters for appointment into various critical offices in your government, as it’s only such people that can truly fight for the party and your interest at all times.”
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